Scott Adams

In 1994 I was diagnosed with celiac disease, which led me to create Celiac.com in 1995. I created this site for a single purpose: To help as many people as possible with celiac disease get diagnosed so they can begin to live happy, healthy gluten-free lives. Celiac.com was the first site on the Internet dedicated solely to celiac disease. In 1998 I created The Gluten-Free Mall, Your Special Diet Superstore!, and I am the co-author of the book Cereal Killers, and founder and publisher of Journal of Gluten Sensitivity.

Celiac that do not remain on a
gluten-free diet can develop Refractory Sprue. Refractory Sprue
and Collagenous Sprue patients who initially respond to a gluten-free
diet many subsequently relapse despite maintaining their diet.
Such patients are then refractory to further dietary
therapy. In contrast, others are refractory to dietary therapy
from its inception and, assuming they are truly on a gluten-free diet,
may not have celiac disease; these patients are said to have
unclassified Sprue. Some refractory patients with celiac disease,
typical or atypical, respond to treatment with corticosteroids
or other immunosuppressive drugs. In others, there is no response
and malabsorption may be progressive. Collagenous Sprue is characterized
by the development of a thick band of collagen-like material
directly under the intestinalepithelial cells and has been
regarded by some as a separate entity from celiac disease. However,
subepithelial collagen deposition has been noted in up to 36%
of patients with classic Celiac Disease and in Tropical Sprue.
Although individuals with large amounts of subepithelial collagen
may be refractory to therapy, the presence of collagen does
not , a riori, preclude a successful response to a gluten-free diet.
Collagenous colitis accompanying celiac disease also has been
observed and would be considered in the diagnosis of diarrhea
occurring in celiac disease patients on a gluten-free diet.